Shigeki sank onto the couch gratefully, the day having been very eventful. He rubbed his injured arm thoughtfully as his mind started to wander.

Damn this hurts… lucky it only grazed me. At least Chiaki wasn't hurt…
Chiaki.

Shigeki sighed and rolled his head back to stare at the ceiling.

Who the hell was after her? And why? That was a pretty powerful blast to say the least… It's obvious that their intent was to kill her… Protecting her is not an easy job for one angel like me… Maybe… I could request help from the heavens…

He closed his eyes and shook his head ruefully.

No… They probably wouldn't help me… Not after…

Shigeki sighed again and gingerly touched the bandage on his arm, his eyes gone distant with memory.

So many memories, all so sad… All about protecting someone… someone…

"Saphael!"
A boy of about 7 years of age, with black hair and clear blue eyes turned around at the sound of his name.
"Nani, okaasan?"
"Don't go too far! And don't get into any trouble!"
"Yes, Mother…"
"And don't fly for too long! Your wings aren't fully developed for long-distance flying yet!"
"Yes, Mother…"
Saphael had already started walking again; his little face turned up towards the sunlight, eyes bright and happy. As soon as he was far enough from his home, where no one could see him, Saphael let his wings loose and flapped them hard after a running start to get some velocity. He giggled happily, soaring through the clouds at an easy pace, the wind blowing through the sensitive feathers. He loved the feel of the breeze against his face; it was so calming yet energizing. He made a sharp turn so that he was flying in the direction of the Mortal Plane. He loved exploring there. Suddenly, his wings snapped back, unused to long periods of flight, and he started plummeting quickly.

No!! Okaasaaaaaaaaaaaan~~~~

A young demon girl of about 6 years of age sat in an open field, her violet hair loose and blowing about her face except for a single braid that hung on each side. She was disguised as a human for the time being so that she could roam about the Mortal Plane as she pleased.

She picked flowers happily in the field, when a loud yell from above caused her to look up and get landed on. The two figures tumbled down the hill, shouts being sounded from it. They finally rolled to a stop at the bottom of the hill.

The demon girl sat up to look at who had collided with her and saw a young boy with wings. Ignoring the bumps and scratches on herself, she stared at the flowers she had collected that were now squished.

"You… you squashed my flowers!"
"What…?" Saphael asked groggily.
The girl then took off her shoe and proceeded to hit him with it.
"You *bonk* baka *bonk* baka *bonk* baka *bonk* baka *bonk* baka!!!" She shrieked, her hair flying about.
"Hey— ow!— what— ow!— did— ow!— I— ow!— do?— ow!" Saphael cried out, trying to protect himself.
"You squished my flowers, that's what!!" She pouted, pointing at the mashed pile of flowers.
"Oh… gomen nasai… Who are you anyways?" Saphael asked, looking at her purple hair curiously.
"Kirira… and who are you, Angel Boy?" Kirira asked, hands on her hips.
"Saphael! Nice to meet you!" He smiled happily.
"Those are pretty wings, Saphael… I wish I had wings… cause then I could fly…" Kirira said dreamily, her face turned up towards the sky.
"Really? Hm… Do you want me to give you a ride?" Saphael asked, his little face bright.
Kirira's eyes suddenly lit up and she smiled.
"Really? Would you?" She squealed happily.
"Sure... Why not?" he replied, holding a small hand out to her. Kirira giggled and grabbed it as Saphael started to beat his wings with great effort. They didn't go anywhere.
"Gg… ghh… You're too heavy!!" Saphael cried out, his wings still trying to lift the two of them up.
"No I'm not! You just can't fly! How else would you have fallen on me?!" Kirira said defensively.
"I can fly!" Saphael objected "…Just… not for very long…"
"Well… that's just great! … But, thanks for offering, Sa..."
"Saphael."
"Thank you, Saphael…"

"Why I'm here and how I know all this is my own business. I suggest you keep your mind on your own problems and worries," Inugami stated, his hand on Kokutei's head.
"Fine. I'm taking her car," Zenki replied, walking out the door. Inugami blinked.
"You know how to drive?"
"I've seen Chiaki drive… Its not that hard."

Nine years had passed and Saphael and Kirira had grown to be good friends. Since they were angel and devil, the two needed to meet in secret, their friendship hidden from others. Things had gone well, until one day when they decided to meet in their favorite spot in the forest again…

"Kirira?" Saphael whispered, tucking his wings close to his body so that he made less sound around the trees.
"Over here, Saph. Don't worry, no one's around. You won't get caught."
He turned around to see Kirira sitting in the small clearing, smiling, her violet hair longer now, but in the same style with the two braids. Saphael smiled at the nickname she had given to him after a few days of meeting. He sat down beside her, feathers spread about him.
"So, you think you can fly yet?"
"I've always been able to fly, Kirira. Just not for very long," Saphael protested.
"I'm just teasing, Saph. You don't have to get all pouty." Kirira grinned, poking him in the shoulder playfully.
"Oh…" He smiled again.
Suddenly, voices were heard not too far from the clearing they were in.
"Where is he?" one asked.
"I don't know… but I saw him come down here… He does that a lot," the other said.
"You think that's why the other angels asked us to come check?"
"I guess so…"
Saphael's eyes widened in fear as he stood up quickly.
"They can't find you here, Kirira!" he whispered loudly. "You have to run! Now!"
"But—"
"No buts! It's bad enough that I'd get banished if they found me here with you… I don't wanna know what they'd do to you!"
"Fine. But you have to come with me!"
"What?"
"You can run behind me!"
Saphael paused for a moment, looking at her worried face before nodding.
"Fine, I will. Let's go."
The two ran off into the forest just as the two angels came into the clearing.
"See! I told you he wouldn't be on the Mortal Plane…"
"But I saw him! So did the others!"
"Yeah yeah yeah…"
Saphael and Kirira raced between the trees when Kirira suddenly vanished.
"Kirira?!" Saphael raced forward and stopped just in time at the edge of a cliff.
"Kirira!!!" he yelled, seeing her falling slowly into the empty space.
"Saphaaaaaeeeeelllll!!!" Kirira screamed, her body plummeting downward.

Falling.
She was falling.

Saphael suddenly jumped off the edge without any thought, his wings snapping open with a small burst of feathers. He held them close to his side as he sped towards her, his hand outstretched.

He could see tears in her eyes as she reached out to him, only driving him to get to her faster. Saphael stretched out his arm as far as he could and grabbed her hand tightly. He pulled her upward to him as his wings beat strongly, slowly lifting them up. He cradled her to himself, as he slowly realized that he was moving upwards.

"I'm… I'm flying Kirira!"
"… Thank god…" she mumbled against his chest.

Saphael landed gently on the ground, placing Kirira on her feet slowly. Her face was tear streaked as she looked up at him, new tears still streaming. He smiled gently, wiping them away with his thumb.

"Hey… you're safe. No need to cry anymore," he said quietly, holding her tightly.
"Sa…phael… you *sniff* saved me…"
"Of course I did… Why would I leave you?" Saphael asked, tilting her head up with his hand to look at him.
"Cause… *sniff* I'm… not an… angel…" Kirira said softly, gazing up at him. He gazed back at her with gentle eyes before slowly tracing a knuckle along her jawline.

"… That doesn't matter to me, Kirira," he replied tenderly.
Saphael slowly leaned his head forward until his lips gently touched hers in a soft kiss, his eyes closed. Kirira's eyes widened at first before slowly closing, as her arms wrapped about his neck, the kiss deepening.

The car swerved about, in between lanes, and soon accumulated a crowd of police cars behind it, sirens blaring.
"Are you sure you know how to drive?" Inugami asked again, clutching the car seat beneath him.
"I told you already! This is how Chiaki drives!" Zenki yelled, as he drove between two other cars, dangerously close. Kokutei had his head out one of the windows, mouth open and his tongue lolling in the wind.
"Kokutei! Get back in here!" Inugami said, grasping the side of the car as Zenki swerved around again.

Another three years had passed and Saphael and Kirira had become lovers. Then one day, Kirira told Saphael that she had to tell him something very important…

"Saphael… I… I don't know how to tell you this…" Kirira started nervously, her eyes downcast.

Saphael frowned, starting to get worried.
"What? What is it, Kirira?"
"I… I've fallen in love with another demon…" she blurted out, squeezing her eyes shut.
He froze, staring at her, his eyes unseeing.
"You… what?"
"I fell in love with another demon, Saphael…"
"But then… what about us?" he asked slowly.
"There is no more us, Saphael! I'm a demon and you're an angel! It just doesn't work between our kind! If I'm with a demon, I don't have to worry about things like running away when others are around! It's… it's over now! Goodbye, Saphael!" Kirira cried out as she ran off, tears patterning the ground.
Saphael stood there silently, unmoving, watching her back as she left, tears slowly starting to trail down his cheeks as he closed them. When he reopened them, she was gone.
"Goodbye… Kirira…"

Shigeki sighed, rubbing his good arm across his eyes.

Well… it was all my fault, I suppose… Getting banished from the heavens by the archangel for treason because I was caught with her by the other angels… It's a suitable punishment for me…

He blinked as someone knocked at his door, and he stood up slowly.

"Toshi! What are you doing here?" Shigeki asked sleepily.
"Don't you remember? I said I was gonna come over to pick up some music sheets with the new song you wrote on them," Toshi replied.
"Oh right! Sorry I forgot… Come on in."

Toshi walked in and sat down on Shigeki's couch, looking about.

"I really don't know how you keep your place so neat…"
"It's a habit…" Shigeki replied, when someone else suddenly knocked on the door.
"Expecting someone?" Toshi asked as Shigeki walked over to the door.
"No…" he said, opening the door and gasping in surprise when he saw the pleading aqua-green eyes and long, loose violet hair of —

"Kirira!"

Toshi sat up straight and his head snapped around to look at the figure in the doorway.
He snapped his fingers quickly, before Shigeki or Kirira could say anything else, and froze Shigeki right where he stood — his mouth still open and his eyes still wide, with one arm outstretched.

Toshi stood up and walked over to her, dropping his friendly exterior all at once; his eyes cold.

"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly, staring at her.
"What am I— what are you doing here?!" Kirira exclaimed.
"I'm his friend, Kirira… What does it matter to you?"
"You're his friend?! Well… does Saph know who you really are, if you're really his friend, Tokyaya-zoshi?!" she replied, glaring at him.
"No… but that doesn't matter. And don’t call me that. My name’s Toshi now. You didn't answer me. Why are you here?" he asked icily.

"I…" Kirira turned her head to look at the frozen form of Shigeki. “It’s over between Verbyn and me…”
“I told you it wouldn’t last… And to think you actually left Saphael for that dragon demon… Now answer my question.”
"I…” Kirira took a deep breath, before lowering her head.

“… I’m still in love with Saphael…"

Toshi snorted. "Well, It's too late to come crawling back. He's in love with another girl now."
"With who?!" she demanded, turning to look at him.
"Enno Chiaki."

Kirira’s aqua-green eyes went wide before they slowly narrowed into a glare.

"Who is this 'Chiaki'?!!" Kirira demanded once more, her eyes blazing.